BROWARD IGNORES LATIN TOURISM COUNTY SAYS IT CAN'T COMPETE WITH DADE

Conceding that they have little chance of cashing in on the market, tourism officials in Broward and Palm Beach counties are virtually ignoring the area's largest Latin American trade show this week in nearby Miami Beach.

No one from the Broward County Tourist Development Council, Fort Lauderdale/ Broward County Chamber of Commerce or Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will attend the Confederation of Latin American Travel Organizations annual show at the Miami Beach Convention Center and the James L. Knight Convention Center in Miami.

About 2,000 travel agents, exhibitors and tourist-related companies that do business in Central and South America are expected to participate. It is the first time the group has met in the United States since 1967, when the show was held in Miami.

"It's one of the most significant things to happen in this area," said David Pearlson, president of the Miami Beach Resort Hotel Association. "We have allocated a great effort and funds for the production of this convention."

Contrast that with the sentiments of June Switken, director of the Broward County Tourist Development Council: "The fact the show is in Miami is irrelevant. Latin America has never been one of our primary markets, and I think we cover it in a secondary fashion through other outlets."

The Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council will participate, though its director acknowledged it has been very difficult to lure those tourists from Dade County. Nevertheless, scattered hotels in Broward and Palm Beach are dispatching representatives in hopes of garnering a portion of the market.

In terms of sheer numbers, Latin America is so insignificant that the tourist councils in Broward and Palm Beach counties do not even compile figures on travelers from those countries.

On the other hand, 445,107 Central Americans flocked to Dade County in 1984, a 3.3 percent increase over the previous year. South America was responsible for 534,608 tourists, a 13.9 percent decline.

The big three South American draws -- Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela -- all reported drops in visitor volume to Dade last year. Mexico and Chile were up, and Argentina accounted for the largest jump in Latin tourism, a 39.5 percent increase.

Overall, South America accounts for 10 percent of Dade's tourism. Central America is 8 percent, according to figures from the Metropolitan Dade County Department of Tourism.

Miami-area shopping has been a prime interest for Latin Americans, though the amount of money spent has fallen to $900 a person each trip in 1983, the latest available figure, from the 1980 peak of $1,500 a person.

"The Latin American market was of great importance to Dade for years," said Marcia Morgado, an official of the Greater Miami Hotel and Motel Association. "Then we lost it. Those economies are growing again; that market will be there. And, of course, we want it."

Switken said other trade shows are more productive because they permit prearranged, individual meetings with major travel wholesalers.

A council staff member attended the Viejes trade show in Houston this month, a small convention for Latin American travel agents and tour operators.

Council officials attended the Florida Huddle for the international business in January and will fly to Los Angeles this month for the giant Pow Wow trade show, the biggest of its kind for worldwide tourism, Switken said.

"I don't want to talk to hotels or auto rental people," said Switken. "I want to talk in a businesslike setting with that individual who can buy my area. In the future, we may consider this show, but right now it's not part of our marketing plan."

Broward and Palm Beach generate most of their tourists from the northeastern United States, Florida and Canada.

Tommy Mercer, tourism and convention manager of the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Chamber of Commerce, said he did not budget attending the COTAL show. He said the chamber does not publish tourist material in Spanish, so its effectiveness at the show would be minimal. His immediate priority, he said, is producing new brochures.

"If we were to go down there and fight for that business, we wouldn't get it overnight," Mercer said. "Dade County has got it pretty well locked. . . . If you are going to go, you've got to be prepared. What are you going to give them -- something in English?"

In Broward, an executive of the Bahia Mar Hotel and Yachting Center may attend, although the Latin American trade has not been strong. General Manager Jacque E. Rydderch cited the centralized shopping in Dade as a continued draw, as opposed to Broward, where the retail area is spread out.

Two sales representatives from the Bonaventure Hotel and Spa plan to attend COTAL, even though Latin business has declined by about 40 percent in the past several years, General Manager John Van Ordstrand said.

The resort's spa continues to be a big attraction for fitness-conscious South Americans, he said, with Brazil and Argentina accounting for most of that business.

Jack Tawney, general manager of the Galt Ocean Club, said he learned at the recent Viejes show that the trend is discouraging for Latin American tourism.

"We feel we've done everything we can to get the South American market we need," Tawney said, estimating that those vacationers represent from 5 percent to 10 percent of the hotel's annual business.

Staff from the Hollywood Beach Hilton, one of the Bonaventure's sister hotels, will attend COTAL, Van Ordstrand said. But the 1,200-room Diplomat across the street did not sign up for the show because other conventions, such as Pow Wow, are more productive, General Manager Jay Rosen said.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has virtually given up on the market after unsuccessful attempts at advertising in Central and South American publications.

The prognosis is generally the same in Palm Beach County. Although its Tourist Development Council is sending a staff member, Director Bob Rosenberg agreed the market is minimal.

"Since COTAL is so close, we thought we would try it," Rosenberg said. "I don't think it's viable for Palm Beach County because it's not our clientele. (But) we certainly have the properties to warrant that traffic."

One major resort, the Boca Raton Hotel and Club, is sending representatives and offering COTAL delegates reduced rates if they want to remain after the convention, said Marcus Fields, vice president and managing director. He said the hotel wants to increase its share of the Latin American market to 10 percent from between 5 percent and 7 percent.

Fields said the market has always been important to the resort, and he expects the volume to increase. The wealthy clientele have not been as affected as other Latin visitors by their countries' economic conditions, he said.